European Food Research and Technology最新文献

The limited technological functionality of plant proteins often hinders their application in food systems. Although enzymatic hydrolysis is widely promoted as a “green” strategy for improving these properties, a systematic understanding of how process parameters translate into specific functional outcomes remains limited. This study investigated the link between hydrolysis process parameters (enzyme content (Alcalase 2.4 L), hydrolysis time, and substrate concentration), technological properties (solubility, water- and oil-holding capacities, emulsifying and foaming properties) and structural features (molecular weight distribution, free-SH groups, surface hydrophobicity) of a pea protein concentrate (PPC) using a Box–Behnken design. Enzyme concentration emerged as the predominant factor significantly influencing all functional responses. Experimental data revealed three distinct hydrolysis ranges (limited, intermediate, and extended), each associated with specific and predictable technological performances. These relationships were integrated into a functionality map that enables the selection of hydrolysis conditions according to the desired functional profile and the identification of trade-offs. Limited hydrolysis (DH < 10%) improved the oil-holding and foaming properties, whereas extended hydrolysis (DH > 20%) enhanced solubility. Beyond these empirical findings, the study provides a transferable process design approach applicable to other protein matrices.

Cocoa butter composes close to 30% of chocolate, as it promotes the formation of crystalline structures essential for releasing aromatic volatile compounds and developing desirable physical properties. These characteristics are determined by its fatty acid composition, including oleic, stearic, palmitic, and linoleic acids, combined with glycerol chains to produce triglycerides (POP, POS, and SOS), which are responsible for its functionality. This review demonstrated that the alignment of fatty acid molecules within triglycerides is responsible for crystal formation, where long-chain fatty acids increase the melting point and allow different crystalline forms to exist. During fermentation and drying, however, the cocoa butter extracted from the beans exhibits a crystalline habit of metastable forms due to its low packing density and the greater molecular mobility resulting from the complex composition of triglycerides. This indicates that cocoa butter must be pre-crystallized or tempered to achieve an orderly crystalline structure (V form). Therefore, for the development of chocolate with a stable and functional structure, processing control—particularly tempering—is a key strategy for obtaining products tailored to consumer preferences. Nevertheless, the review also highlights the use of cocoa butter alternatives as a means to stabilize crystallization and polymorphic transitions in chocolate.

Postharvest mangoes are prone to anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. While synthetic fungicides are effective, they pose environmental and health risks. This study introduces a Composite Hydrophobic Nanoemulsion (C-HyDEN) coating, containing fatty acids, terpenes, and polysaccharides, to improve postharvest disease control in fruits. Testing various Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvent (HDES) formulations revealed that a Menthol: Thymol ratio of 1:1 (MT 1:1) was the most effective for the C-HyDEN formulation, with a pH of 6.17 ± 0.04 and the highest radical scavenging activity at 96.23 ± 0.19%. Further formulations, Chitosan + HyDEN and Konjac + HyDEN, were evaluated based on pH, antioxidant activity, viscosity, mean droplet diameter, Polydispersity Index (PDI), zeta potential and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Chitosan-HyDEN revealed a pH of 7.21 ± 0.11 and a zeta potential of -30.9 ± 7.5 mV, indicating good stability, and the highest antioxidant activity at 94.27 ± 0.29%. Compared with HyDEN, Antracol^®, and the untreated control, the Chitosan–HyDEN coating extended the shelf life of ‘Harumanis’ mangoes during 21 days of storage (27 ± 2°C; 80% relative humidity), and better-preserved quality attributes, including weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), colour, titratable acidity (TA), pH, and DPPH radical scavenging activity. This study suggests Chitosan-HyDEN as a promising, effective alternative to synthetic fungicides for preserving postharvest fruit.

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Large amounts of broccoli by-products are generated every year, which are excellent sources of health-promoting isothiocyanates (ITCs). To explore the influence of pretreatments and starter cultures on ITC production during fermentation of broccoli by-products, the dynamics of the glucosinolate (GSL) profile, the formation of total ITCs, the shifts in physicochemical parameters, and the survival of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were systematically investigated in two batches of broccoli stalks. Three aliphatic, three indolic, and one aromatic GSLs were identified in fermented broccoli. Aliphatic glucoerucin and indolic 4-methoxyglucobrassicin were the main GSLs in both batches of broccoli. The degradation of GSLs and pH change primarily depended on pretreatments; more than 80% of total GSLs degraded in all groups within 10 days of fermentation, while it only takes one day for raw blended groups to degrade more than 97% of total GSLs, and two days for heated blended groups to have 61.1–82.7% degradation. The decrease in pH and increase in LAB in raw cube groups were slower. When it comes to ITC production, the starters played a more important role. Significantly higher ITCs level was detected in Lactobacillus agilis and Companilactobacillus farciminis fermented combined with heat-pretreated groups and Lactobacillus plantarum fermented heated puree group, which could be attributed to the favored pH (3.6–4.2). Overall, our results indicate that LAB fermentation contributed to the production of ITCs from GSLs in broccoli stalks. Pretreating the broccoli stalk with heating and blending favors both the degradation of GSLs and the production of ITCs.

This study investigated the interactive effects of soaking duration (24, 48, and 72 h) and drying temperature (40, 50, 60, and 70 °C) on the drying kinetics and proximate composition of tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.). Fresh tubers were subjected to factorial treatments under a completely randomized design. Drying data were fitted to thin-layer models to describe moisture transfer behavior, while proximate composition was determined using standard AOAC methods. Drying occurred exclusively in the falling-rate period, with effective moisture diffusivity increasing and activation energy decreasing under higher temperatures and extended soaking, respectively. Among the models evaluated, the Page model provided the best fit for predicting drying behaviour. Proximate analysis revealed significant (p < 0.05) leaching of ash, fiber, and protein with prolonged soaking, while elevated drying temperatures markedly reduced protein content. The optimal balance between drying efficiency and nutrient retention was achieved with a 48 h soaking pretreatment followed by drying at 50 °C. These findings provide a practical, evidence-based protocol for producing high-nutrient tiger nut flour for functional food applications.

Bioactive molecule investigation is limited in less common cereals; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the lipid fraction and phytochemical composition in seven species of cereal crop grains: Eleusine coracana (finger millet), Hordeum vulgare (barley), Panicum sumatrense (little millet), Paspalum scrobiculatum (kodo millet), Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet), Setaria italica (foxtail millet) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum or great millet). Fat content ranged between 1.8% (E. coracana) and 6.9% (P. glaucum). In most of the extracted oils, linoleic acid was the main fatty acid, constituting approximately half (41.33–62.54%) of the total fatty acids, except P. scrobiculatum and E. coracana, in which oleic acid was dominant (42.62 and 44.46%, respectively). The lowest and highest saturation was observed in S. italica and P. scrobiculatum (9.91 and 30.48%, respectively). Total carotenoid content was negligible, and low in H. vulgare (10.35 mg 100 g^− 1 oil) and S. italica (4.67 mg 100 g^− 1 oil). Total tocochromanol content ranged between 0.48 (P. scrobiculatum) and 319.63 (H. vulgare) mg 100 g^− 1 oil. In most of the oils, γ-tocopherol was the main tocochromanol, except for H. vulgare, in which tocotrienols dominated, with α-tocotrienol content at 174 mg 100 g^− 1 oil. Total sterol content in the oils ranged between 1548.31 (P. glaucum) and 3726.07 (S. italica) mg 100 g^− 1 oil, β-sitosterol having the largest fraction in all oils, except for S. italica, in which Δ5-avenasterol dominated. It was also the only oil in which squalene and cholesterol were observed (912 and 346 mg 100 g^− 1 oil, respectively). Millets and barley have low oil content, but are rich in some lipophilic bioactive compounds.

While the impact of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) on plant growth and biological activity has been widely studied, the metabolic bases of these changes, especially in medicinal and herbal plants, are not well understood. This study aims to elucidate the biochemical and physiological responses of Salvia officinalis, an important aromatic plant and a key natural food preservative, under elevated CO₂ conditions. Exposure to eCO₂ significantly improved fresh and dry biomass by 23.8% and 33.3%, respectively, along with a 34.4% increase in photosynthetic efficiency. Amino acids such as phenylalanine, which act as precursors for secondary metabolites, were notably upregulated, supporting enhanced biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Flavonoid levels rose by 36.2%, and total phenolics by 22.1%, reflecting a clear shift of carbon allocation toward bioactive, defense-related metabolites. Essential oil profiles, particularly monoterpenes, were also altered under eCO₂, with borneol content increasing by 51.3%. Antioxidant capacity improved significantly, as indicated by a 40.5% increase in FRAP values. Furthermore, eCO₂-treated plants displayed significant increase of antibacterial activity against some pathogenic bacteria and anti-inflammatory properties, attributed to the enhanced phenolic compounds and essential oils. Our study highlights the role of medicinal plants in the future climate scenarios and positions S. officinalis cultivation as sustainable and effective tool for improving CO₂ vegetation flux and utilizing eCO₂.

To meet the increasing demand for protein, search for alternative protein sources has increased, where upcycling waste leaves is a promising approach in terms of nutrition and sustainability. Leaf protein concentrates (LPCs) were extracted from beetroot and cauliflower leaves, and precipitated via heat treatment. Their potential as upcycled ingredients compared to commercial plant-based protein powders, soy and pea, was evaluated. LPCs exhibited significantly higher water and oil holding capacities than commercial proteins. Although pea protein had the highest foaming capacity, the foams formed by LPCs had higher stability over time. Protein solubility varied between 13 and 43% for beetroot LPC and 8–49% for cauliflower LPC. Despite variations in emulsion activity index, LPCs showed better emulsifying performance than commercial proteins, particularly above pH 4, according to droplet size data. In vitro bioaccessibility of LPCs was low, potentially due to impurities or phenolic compounds, and further analysis of antinutrients is needed. Cytotoxicity assay using Caco-2 cells showed low toxicity at all tested protein concentrations. The highest concentration (100 µg BSA/mL) resulted in 71% cell viability for beetroot and 86% for cauliflower LPC, with no significant differences at lower concentrations. Notably, cauliflower LPC selectively promoted proliferation in healthy HEK293T cells without stimulating HepG2 cancer cells. It did not influence glucose uptake in HEK293T cells, suggesting its effects are not linked to glucose metabolism. In contrast, beetroot LPC enhanced glucose uptake. Overall, LPCs show promising techno-functional properties, in some cases outperforming commercial proteins, and their selective bioactivity suggests potential use in plant-based or functional food applications.

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To investigate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum L₃ fermentation on the antioxidant activity of Auricularia auricula liquor, the antioxidant capacity of the fermentation broth was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, the changes in the main components of A. auricula liquor before and 48 h after fermentation were analyzed using HPLC–MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics. The results indicated that the free radical scavenging capacity of the A. auricula fermentation broth was significantly enhanced after 48 h of fermentation. The fermentation broth effectively repaired oxidative damage in RAW264.7 cells, enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced MDA content in Drosophila melanogaster. Metabolomic analysis identified 98 metabolites in A. auricula liquor, with significant differences observed before and after fermentation. The upregulation of organic acids (2-aminobenzoic acid, aminocaproic acid, guanidinoacetic acid, etc.), phenolic acids (4-hydroxycinnamic acid, quinic acid), and amino acids (L-lysine, L-phenylalanine, citrulline, etc.) was positively correlated with antioxidant activity. Amino acids with antioxidant activity interconvert in the metabolic pathway dominated by amino acid biosynthesis and interact with organic acids and alkaloids possessing antioxidant activity to form a metabolic cross-network, which collectively enhances antioxidant activity. These findings elucidated the mechanism underlying the increased antioxidant activity of the A. auricula fermentation broth.

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Millets are “Nutri cereals” loaded with minerals, vitamin B, dietary fibre, non-starchy poly-carbohydrates, proteins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and phytochemicals. Millet intake offers health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. However, to fully exploit their potential, processing is necessary. Fermentation is one of the cost-effective and widely used processing methods in fermented millet products. This review aims to identify fermented millet products globally with potential health impacts, along with a bibliometric analysis and a systematic narrative study. The bibliometric analysis was conducted using databases collected from Scopus and Dimension AI, while the systematic narrative study was conducted using databases such as Scopus, PubMed, and Dimension AI, following the PRISMA guidelines. Other parts of this review also included non-systematic studies supporting the health-promoting effects of millet, including its nutritional profile, the type of fermentation and its effects (such as biomodification and microbial diversity), pre-clinical/in-vivo studies elucidating the mechanisms underlying its health benefits. The bibliometric analysis revealed the publication numbers per year and the top publishing countries. The number of publications was found to be highest in 2024, which may be attributed to the declaration of the International Year of Millets in 2023 by the United Nations. India and China were found to have the largest number of publications, with a count of 107 and 88, respectively. Scientific narrative study revealed that most of the studies conducted on fermented millets are either based on pre-clinical or in-vivo studies, and only scanty information is present on human studies, which could be the potential future research areas. Another deficit identified in the analysis was the non-randomized animal trials, which need attention in future research.